Growing up, my mom was a single mother who loved and trusted God with all her heart. She worked hard, enjoyed helping people, and loved her family. However, in the middle of my junior year of high school, my mother began feeling ill. After a few months, she finally went to the doctor and was diagnosed with pneumonia. Subsequently, we discovered a dark mass on her left lung, leading her to consult a lung specialist. My mom was diagnosed with stage 4 small-cell lung cancer and required immediate chemotherapy. I remember feeling overwhelmed when the doctor informed us, but my mom reminded us that our God is greater, a healer, and a miracle worker. She trusted and believed in God and encouraged us to do the same. My mother underwent chemotherapy, and I traveled to Lubbock daily to support her. Despite her health, she continued to serve Jesus in all she did. I eventually graduated from high school, making my mother proud. Later that year, my mother moved to Houston with my sister to seek better treatment opportunities. This was one of the most difficult times of my life, as I had never been without my mom. I called her constantly. Two months passed, and my mother's health reached its worst. My siblings and I received a call from my sister informing us that we needed to travel to Houston as soon as possible because the doctor said my mother would not make it through the night. We all rushed to see her. My mother was happy to see us; we talked and laughed with her. However, her health worsened, and the doctors advised us to transition her to hospice care.

On August 20th at 2:25 AM, my mother passed away. I was angry at God and could not understand why He didn't heal my mom when she was so faithful to Him. However, attending Legacy Church has helped me heal and grow in many ways. I am currently going through a program called Moving Forward, which has facilitated healing from things I didn't even know I needed to heal from. I learned that my mom did receive healing, not the kind I wanted, but the best healing she could get – being in heaven, pain-free with Jesus. I realized that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

-Carmen G.